Sing me a Melody
by Gweniveve Skyes
Summary: Sing me a melody, a song, so I will never be alone when I cross over...


Sing Me a Melody

** It's interesting how a story comes about. For mine, random phrases come along, screaming a story to go along with them. This one had been running around for a few months, but there was no story, until now. Despite the darker side of this story, I'm actually not this dark or morbid, or depressed in any way. Ironically, I am the very opposite in real life.**

The hospital room was deathly silent, except for the machines that whirled, beeped, and made various other noises. The smell of antiseptic was prominent in the air, overwhelming the senses until all was left was the smell of cleanliness. He stirred from his hospital bed after a fitful sleep, wracked with heavy coughing. Flecks of blood covered his mouth as his lungs felt like they were going to be hacked up as well. The coughing fit subsided and he felt even more exhausted than before, the cancer taking its toll on him.

And he didn't even see it coming either. The diagnosis was like a freight train, careening down the tracks and destroying every dream he once had. He only went in for a simple cough, but came back out with lung cancer, a malevolent disease that was quickly destroying his respiratory system. It had advanced way too far to be effectively wiped out with chemotherapy and the only permanent cure was a transplant. Unfortunately, the list was far too long and the organs way too few. In short he was left to die, alone in the world. But then again, he thought with weariness, you always die alone in the end.

He was a trainer, roaming the world, training and raising pokemon that had become his pride and joy. As the disease progressed, he realized that he would no longer be around to take care of them. And one by one, he slowly released them back into the wilds, hoping that they would end up with a better life than he. All save one fled his side, his Altaria, aptly nicknamed Sonata.

She had stuck with him in the beginning, a tiny Swablu that wouldn't leave him alone while he still lived in the village. He eventually came around to raise it, even at the expense of being picked upon by bullies, who deemed the cotton winged bird a 'sissy' pokemon. His tired and sallow eyes went to the corner of the hospital room, landing on Sonata, the Altaria who stayed by his side no matter what happened. The hospital had a fit about a pokemon staying in the hospital (which was designed for people), claiming that the pokemon would dirty up the hospital with its germs. But since the trainer was dying, the officials grudgingly gave in and allowed Sonata to stay.

"Sonata," he wheezed softly, fighting another coughing fit. His hands, now bony and frail from the constant treatments and weight loss, gestured for her. Sonata, who had lightly dozing, perked up at his voice, as faint as it was. She cooed in greeting, her eyes somewhat heavy with sleep.

"Sonata, come here," he called to her again and she obliged him, coming forward, her white wings at her sides. She placed her head by his hand and gently nudged it, mindful of the IV drips, asking for a scratch. He gave a wan smile and ran his frail fingers through her downy soft blue feathers. He luxuriated in the feel of them on his aching skin and for a few moments, he felt happy again. During the moment of bliss, he was seized by another coughing fit, his body felt like it had finally decided to quit on him. Sonata's eyes were wide with alarm and concern, but when it finally subsided, she went back to her post, awaiting the next scratch. But it didn't come.

He looked to her. "Sonata, you realize that I'm dying, right?" he gasped, tired from the exertion.

She tilted her head to one side and let out a mournful coo. If she could, she would have cried. His hand cupped her face. "I wish I wasn't though."

She nodded, as if she could understand the words.

"I wish you could understand me, know what I'm saying. But then again, maybe you do, don't you?"

Sonata scooted forward and placed her head on his chest and began to hum, a deep rich baritone sound that seemed to reverberate in his broken body. He closed his eyes for a moment, drowning out the sounds of the machines, listening to nothing but the sound of the altaria's sound.

"Sonata," he spoke again, slowly opening his eyes, which felt like sheets of lead.

"Al?"

"Will you sing me a melody? A song?"

"Al, altaria." she nodded and placed her head back on his chest once more. She closed her eyes and began to hum. The notes rose and fell, varying in pitch and note, all combining together to make a song, one of lose and mourning, yet at the same time, one that spoke of a brighter tomorrow, of optimism. The reached multiple climaxes, rising and falling, high to low, fast to slow. Sonata truly lived up to her name, a symphony made with only two things: Her voice and her heart.

He closed his eyes again and his head lolled to the side, falling asleep again once more, a faint smile on his lips. His breathing slowed as he fell deeper and deeper into sleep. Normally he would be struggling to breather, his lungs rattling and weak as the cancer ate away at the healthy tissue, well, what wasl eft anyways. But not tonight. His lungs took in the oxygen from the tank like he once could as a trainer, strong, hearty, and hale. His thoughts began to muddle and become incoherent as the borderline between sleep and wakefulness started to blur. But as he fell asleep, one thought dominated his mind: _"Maybe people don't die alone in the end."_

XXXXXXXXXXX

The nurse hummed idly to herself as she typed away on the computer, filling out papers and forms to feed into the massive system called the hospital records, or, as she and the other nurses jokingly called it, 'The Beast', or 'The Maw', whichever one was deemed appropriate at the time. She glanced at the old decrepit clock on the wall. 9:32, it said, and to her, it seemed that the little red hand- the one that did seconds-, decided to go agonizingly slow tonight.

It was a slow night for her, nothing too serious or dramatic, just paperwork and the basic rounds. She didn't mess with the cancer kid though, the doctor on the previous shift had taken care of his medication and other needs. Her job was to make him feel comfortable and content as he laid there dying on the stark white bed, in the otherwise colorless room. She did like the altaria in there though, she brought him comfort, and at this point, it was all she could give him.

Her pager began to vibrate, then beep, an irritating pitch that always drove her crazy. She hurriedly glanced at it, trying to figure out the problem. A machine had stopped in the cancer kid's room. She jolted up from her desk, the rolling chair spinning crazily as she began to page the doctor on call, then whatever nurses were on shift. She charged into the patient's room, her heart breaking at the sight.

The machine that monitored his heart rate and pulse had flatlined, while the other machine, one that watched his breathing, had come to a halt as well. The patient had flatlined, possibly dead. The altaria was at his side, humming a mournful song, almost identical to the one she had just hummed a few minutes before. She tried to push past the pokemon to preform CPR, but Sonata refused to budge, her eyes showing exactly what the nurse had feared. A few minutes later, the doctor on call confirmed it too; he had died during his sleep.

A few days later a funeral was held for him, the trainer who had passed away. It was paid for by the staff and doctors that tended to him, for there was no other family. Save one, who had been there when he died.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Up above the tree that overlooks the grave of the trainer, an Altaria sits, still humming the song that comforted her trainer, still obeying his last request, living up to her namesake that he gave her.

_"Sing me a Melody, a song..."_

**For those who are unfamiliar with the musical term, a 'sonata' is a composition piece that was written for one (or two, very rarely though) instrument. A sonata is usually in three or four movements and with contrasting keys and notes.**

** Note how the story was divided up XD**

**And remember, reviews are like candy. I have been horribly deprived of candy lately. Get the picture? :)**


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